-Caveat Lector- American rights body to initiate legal action against Sharon, Israeli war criminals in US courts source: http://www.arabnews.com/eArchivesByDate.asp?ArY=2001&ArM=5&ArD=23 By Abdul Wahab Bashir, Arab News Staff JEDDAH, 23 May — In a move expected to cast dark shadows on the relationship between the United States and Israel and infuriate the Jewish lobby in Washington, an American human rights body has announced plans to initiate legal action against Israeli war criminals in US courts. Solidarity International for Human Rights, (SIHR), a non-profit Washington DC based group active in protecting refugee and minority rights, said it is taking advantage of US laws which allow for a number of avenues to pursue legally against criminals of war for the purpose of serving justice. SIHR President, Dr. Yasser Boshnaq, said the organization will bring to court Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, his war generals and other officers and politicians involved in the massacre and torture of Palestinians. “It is our objective to utilize the same US laws that were fully utilized by American Jewish organizations against a number of individuals of various nationalities especially those associated with crimes against humanity during Nazi rule. There are also cases where lawsuits have been initiated in the US against individuals linked to war crimes in Bosnia Herzegovina,” Dr. Boshnag, an American of Bosnian origin, told Arab News in an interview. SIHR was established in 1992 and dedicated to promote the universal values that enhance and protect fundamental human rights. It seeks to bring attention to the suffering of groups such as refugees, relief workers, minorities and unions. It provides support for those seeking to defend their rights and help end violations that precipitate crisis. This will be the first time that charges are pressed against Israeli military and politicians forcing the Jewish lobby in the US to taste the same medicine from the same cup which it used to administer its opponents and any one who dares to challenge its supremacy over US politics. United States laws allow American citizens and organizations to sue other individuals, governments, organizations and entities. Foreign nationals are also allowed under American laws to sue American citizens, the government, officials and institutions. Legal action can be initiated against any individual, government or entity even if there is no proper or compelling evidence to convict the sued party. “We will use these same laws to convict Israeli criminals of war for what we consider as crimes against humanity by deliberately killing Palestinian civilians. International law states clearly how an occupied population must be treated and protected by an occupying state. Israel, as a colonial force, has failed to comply with the Fourth Geneva Conviction of 1949 and instead chose to use illegal means against the population to perpetrate its military occupation.” The move to bring Sharon and his war generals before American courts was originally initiated by a number of Palestinian Americans who together with other family members have been subjected to Israeli brutality. Dr. Boshnag says such effort also extends to cover active Muslims, campaigners and civil right activists targeted by Zionist propaganda in the US. “The objective is to punish Israeli officials directly or indirectly responsible for killing Palestinian civilians, especially Palestinian Americans, warn Israeli military leaders and government officials that they will be subject to legal action in the United States if they continue to pursue their “shoot to kill” policy, show American officials, members of Congress, the media and the public the true brutal and inhuman reality of the Israeli military occupation, defend the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem from Israeli settlers and utilize American laws against criminals of war and countries that violate human rights,” said Dr. Boshnag. Teams of leading lawyers and legal experts from the US and abroad who specialize in injury and criminal laws and war crime tribunals are expected to join the campaign. The cost could run into millions of dollars, but Dr. Boshnag said the project is worth it. The initiative, he explained, is not just intended to serve Americans of Palestinian, Arab or Muslim origin. The target is humanity at large because international justice has to be served. It is time to pursue such project. “It is true that legal services and consultations are extremely high in the United States. But we nevertheless believe that initiating such cases against Israeli criminals will be worth it for two reasons: First, the Israelis will be forced to defend themselves and their government will be put on the defensive for actions of its military leaders. There is overwhelming evidence that Israel used excessive force against Palestinian demonstrator. Second, for the first time the American media will start addressing issues of legal concerns related to Israeli war criminals. This will bring enormous frustration to the pro-Israeli groups and individuals who wish to keep Israel’s image as democratic and civilized.” SIHR cited a long list of atrocities committed by Israel since its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza in 1967. They include 1982 murder of over 3,000 Palestinian civilians, mostly women, children and elderly, by the Lebanese Christian militia under the cover and complete protection of the Israeli army led by Sharon, the 1990 killing of 17 Palestinians by Israeli bullets when Palestinians protested the march by Jewish settlers to Al-Haram Al-Sharif in Jerusalem, the 1996 killing of 89 Palestinians by Israeli forces in Jerusalem while defending Al-Aqsa Mosque following the opening by the Israeli government of a tunnel that threatened the very foundations of the mosque, the continued killing of Palestinians since the start of Al-Aqsa Intifada in Sept. 28 where over 500 Palestinians have so far been murdered. Twelve year-old Palestinian child Muhammad Al-Durrah and four-moth old baby girl Eman Hijjo are two examples of child murders by Israel. A report by SIHR titled “History of Torture in Israel” states that since 1967 Israel carried out more than 600,000 arrests. Many Palestinians remain in Israeli jails without trial including women, old men and minors with some suffering poor health. The prisoners are subjected to egregious torture used routinely and systematically. Israeli remains the only state in the world that has legalized the use of torture. Israel is in breach of the object and purpose of the Convention against Torture. It is in grave violation of various other international treaties including the International Convention of Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, the 1945 Charter of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg and numerous others. “There is a strong case to being Sharon and other Israeli criminals to justice. Every effort should be made to hold Israeli military leaders responsible for every order they make in regard to shooting Palestinian civilians. Some of these victims are American citizens. If Israel military leaders and politicians realize they can be accountable before law for killing innocent Palestinians, they will think twice and many innocent lives will be saved,” said Boshnag. He said the purpose is to try Jews at large or the state of Israel but the case is directed against those individuals responsible for crimes against the Palestinian people. Some Jews, he said, sympathize with the Palestinian cause. He expressed the hope that Arab governments and non-governmental organizations will come forward with their support because the battle would be long and costly. “If they (the Jewish lobby) seek to drain us we will play their game and emerge successful. We expect others to come froward with their full support.” <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. 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